The NSW Government has failed at the first hurdle to reassure local residents that both stages of Wentworth Point High School will be built together before the school is open.
Despite having no budget allocation for Stage 2 of the new High School the NSW Government responded to a community campaign that Stage 1 and 2 be completed before students are on site and the school is open by sneaking out a statement on their website stating that “funding for expanded facilities were announced as part of the 2021/22 NSW Budget, increasing the number of students to be accommodated from approximately 850 to 1,500”.
While the NSW Government allocated nearly $42 million for construction of Stage 1 of the High School, only $3.1 million has been allocated for planning of Stage 2 in the 2021/22 Budget.
The Submission Report response on behalf of the Department of Education released this week on the NSW Planning Portal makes it clear “the development will be occupied in two stages,” with 800 students for Stage 1 occupying the school while construction is ongoing.
Local residents will also feel aggrieved that the open space requirements for Stage 2 will be met by an oval to be built on long overdue public parklands on the foreshore, which is not included in the current Development Application for the school.
It is concerning that, despite the report noting the occupation of Stage 2 is reliant on the future playing field to meet the need for play space required on page 16, on page 17 the report erroneously notes the future playing field is not required for achieving general compliant open space.
Whichever way you read the report it is a failure to deliver for the local communities of Wentworth Point, Newington or Sydney Olympic Park who have demanded that the High School be completed for 1,500 students before being opened, avoiding 800 students having to learn in a construction site.
It is plain to see the NSW Government, now faced with the proposed new High School redistributed into the marginal electorate of Parramatta, is trying to hoodwink local residents.
Office of Lynda Voltz MP
Member for Auburn
